Queensrÿche has sold over 20 million albums worldwide, including over 6 million albums in the United States. They are considered one of the leaders of the progressive metal scene of the mid-to-late 1980s, and often referred to as one of the "Big Three" of the genre, along with Dream Theater and Fates Warning. The band received worldwide acclaim after the release of their 1988 album Operation: Mindcrime, which is often considered one of the greatest heavy metal concept albums of all time. Their follow-up release, Empire, released in 1990, was also very successful and included the hit single "Silent Lucidity". The band has received three Grammy Award nominations for songs from both albums. In 1998, drummer Rockenfield received an individual Grammy nomination.
Also in 1998, guitarist and primary songwriter Chris DeGarmo left the band for personal reasons, returning briefly in 2003 to write and record the Tribe album. Over the years, his replacements have been Kelly Gray, Mike Stone, and Parker Lundgren. Following a highly publicized backstage altercation before a show in São Paulo, Brazil, in April 2012, Tate was fired from the band and replaced with then-Crimson Glory singer Todd La Torre. In response to his dismissal, Tate and his wife Susan (who served as the band's manager from 2005 to 2012) filed a lawsuit in a Washington court, claiming that he was wrongfully terminated. The ruling in the preliminary injunction was that both parties were allowed to use the name Queensrÿche until a court ruling or a settlement decided who would get to use the name. A settlement was reached on April 17, 2014, in which founding members Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson were awarded the rights to the band trademark, continuing to play with the lineup that additionally includes singer La Torre and guitarist Lundgren.
During the time, both parties could use the name Queensrÿche, Tate created his own lineup featuring former guitarist Gray and musicians from bands including Blue Öyster Cult, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, Dio, AC/DC and Quiet Riot. This version of Queensrÿche with Geoff Tate released the album Frequency Unknown on April 23, 2013, while Queensrÿche (with La Torre replacing Tate) released their eponymous album on June 24 and 25, 2013 (European and American release date, respectively). Both bands toured in 2013 and 2014.
Full article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensrÿche
Studio albums
The Warning (1984)
Rage for Order (1986)
Operation: Mindcrime (1988)
Empire (1990)
Promised Land (1994)
Hear in the Now Frontier (1997)
Q2K (1999)
Tribe (2003)
Operation: Mindcrime II (2006)
Take Cover (2007)
American Soldier (2009)
Dedicated to Chaos (2011)
Queensrÿche (2013)
Condition Hüman (2015)
The Verdict (2019)
Digital Noise Alliance (2022)
Geoff Tate's Queensrÿche
Frequency Unknown (2013)
The Whisper
Queensrÿche Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
the tolling of the judgement bell
Eyes watched the violence
the absence of those who have
seen, marks the faith of the spell
Cold is the viper
stalking the night for the heat
Time is the promise
delivered with stunning consistency
line after line, time after time
the innocent victim awaits...
Please take my hand
Don't be afraid
I am your master
You are my slave
Voices are calling me back
Back to the day
Footsteps had followed
Me faster... listen
Screams from a new love
the passion was burning, it singed in a stare
Free under the night sun
The fear of the hunger
Will always be there in my mind
Time after time the morning
Will close a new page
Please take my hand
Don't be afraid
I am your master
You are my slave
Follow the impulse you have
I'll show you the way
Forget what you've learned in the past now
Listen and...
Queensrÿche's song The Whisper tells a haunting story of a predator and the victim they have in their grasp. The first stanza describes the scene of a violent act. The cries from the aisles could be the screams of a victim or onlookers who are witnessing the violence. The tolling of the judgement bell implies that some sort of judgement is being made, perhaps by those around or even by a higher power. The violence is being watched with eyes, but the absence of those who have seen marks the faith of the spell, indicating that perhaps nobody is willing to speak up and put an end to the violence.
The second stanza describes the predator as a cold viper stalking the night, seeking out heat. Time is promised with stunning consistency as the predator continues to capture and victimize their prey, promising to fulfill their desires. The innocent victim is constantly waiting while the predator continues to hunt. The third stanza seems to be directed towards the victim, with the predator beckoning to them to take their hand and be their slave, promising them safety and protection. However, the voices are calling the predator back to the past and the victim is warned to listen to the footsteps that are following them.
In the final stanza, there is a reference to a new love and the passion that burned between two people. Although they were free under the night sun, the fear of the hunger will always be present in their minds. The morning will close a new page and a new day begins, with the predator still seeking out new victims. The victim is urged to follow their impulse and listen to the promises of the predator, although their past experiences should not be forgotten. The predator will continue to prey on new victims as the haunting melody of the song continues.
Line by Line Meaning
Cries from the aisles
Sounds of anguish coming from all around.
the tolling of the judgement bell
The ominous sound of a bell signaling judgement day.
Eyes watched the violence
Witnesses saw the brutality of what took place.
the absence of those who have
Those that could have stopped it were not present.
seen, marks the faith of the spell
Their absence allowed the curse to take hold.
Cold is the viper
The danger that lurks in the shadows is unforgiving.
stalking the night for the heat
Looking for prey under the cover of darkness.
It must find
The predator must satiate its appetite.
Time is the promise
The inevitability of the future.
delivered with stunning consistency
Always arriving at the right time, every time.
line after line, time after time
The consistency of time and its impact cannot be denied.
the innocent victim awaits...
The inevitable fate of the innocent.
Please take my hand
Allow me to guide you.
Don't be afraid
Do not fear the unknown.
I am your master
I am your guide through the darkness.
You are my slave
You are willing to follow my lead.
Voices are calling me back
The past is calling out to me.
Back to the day
To a past time.
Footsteps had followed
Someone was following me.
Me faster... listen
It is upon us, listen carefully.
Screams from a new love
Passionate screams of a new lover.
the passion was burning, it singed in a stare
The intensity of the feelings was palpable.
Free under the night sun
Feeling liberated under a starry sky.
The fear of the hunger
The fear of succumbing to temptation.
Will always be there in my mind
The memory of this feeling will linger.
Time after time the morning
Every new day brings the same cycle.
Will close a new page
A new chapter begins with each dawn.
Follow the impulse you have
Trust your intuition.
I'll show you the way
I can guide you where you need to go.
Forget what you've learned in the past now
Do not let past experiences hold you back.
Listen and...
Pay attention and be open to new ideas.
Lyrics © TRI-RYCHE CORPORATION DBA QUEENSRYCHE PUBLISHING COMPANY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind